Spicy thai basil with tofu
The last week I have been focusing on doing my demo recipe for school. It’s a bit nerve racking for me. Each student must create a recipe, demonstrate it in front of a group of peers/people from the community, as well as write a paper explaining the origin of the recipe and why you choose the ingredients you did. I have begun the recipe portion. I am making a dessert (of course); pie. The recipe is based on my grandma’s pie recipe. She used to make for me in the summers when I would visit upstate NY.
Since I can’t exist on pie alone (believe me, I tried) I’ve been cooking up a storm lately. Before work yesterday I fried up this tofu with basil, onions and sriracha sauce.
Ingredients
1 small block of FIRM tofu (pressed between paper towels/dish towels for 20 mins)
1/2 onion finely diced
2 tablespoons thai basil chopped
1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste)
1 tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce if you don’t have shoyu)
After pressing your tofu for 20 minutes, slice it into bite sized pieces. Heat a skillet with about a 1/4 inch of oil in it (we’re frying that tofu folks!). Once your oil has come to temperature carefully add your tofu one piece at a time until the entire pan is covered/full. Let the tofu fry for 2-5 minutes then flip once golden on one side. Let the 2nd side fry for another 2 minutes or so. Add in your onions, shoyu & sriracha and sautee until the onions are thoroughly cooked. You may run out of oil- that’s fine, simply add in a 1/4 cup of water and let it cook out of the dish. At the last moment add all your basil in and you’re done!
I had mine for lunch at work with brown rice and some steamed veggies. It reheated well but fresh out of the pan is always best.
K I’m off to the kitchen again (black beans w homemade tortillas today) then it’s time for work.
See you soon!
